Patrick L. Langdon

Patrick Langdon was born July 16, 1810 in County Mayo, Ireland. Patrick and Catherine Thomas Langdon first settled in Springfield, Sangamon County where Anthony was born in 1847. Mary was born in 1850, but it is not known in what county. Patrick and William Langdon bought land in 1856 but later the next year sold out and headed west in a covered wagon train to the Nebraska Territory. It is not known why the Langdons decided to pull up stakes in Illinois and go west. It is not known if Nebraska was their destination or when they reached the Platte Valley in Sarpy County they stayed because they liked what they saw--water, timber, game and a chance to obtain virgin land. In Ireland land had been at a premium and most of them were tenants but here in Nebraska they had the opportunity to accumulate land that was their own. What they stood on would belong to them and they would not have to answer to any landlord.

Patrick L. Langdon married Catherine Thomas in 1840. Their two sons were born in Ireland: Martin (1841) and Michael (1844). Patrick L. Langdon was born July 16, 1810 in County Mayo, Ireland. Patrick and Catherine Thomas Langdon first settled in Springfield, Sangamon County where Anthony was born in 1847. Mary was born in 1850, but it is not known in what county. John was born near Chicago in 1851 in what must have been Will or Cook County. Bridget was born in Joliet, Will County in 1853. William Langdon married Margaret Thomas at Joliet, Will County in 1850. A son, Patrick J. was born in Morris, Grundy County. The only other record is of Michael Langan who is listed in his military record as being a resident of Danville, Vermillion County in 1861 which is located some 100 miles south of Will and Grundy Counties.

One wonders how the families came to be in this or that part of Illinois. The Illinois & Michigan Canal went from Ottawa, LaSalle County east through Grundy and Will Counties to Chicago. This would seem to account for Patrick and William settling in Will and Grundy Counties but why Michael settled in Danville is a mystery. Work on the canal was completed by 1848 and many of the Irish workers had bought land and went to farming. Patrick and William Langdon bought land in 1856 but later the next year sold out and headed west in a covered wagon train to the Nebraska Territory. It is not known why the Langdons decided to pull up stakes in Illinois and go west. It is not known if Nebraska was their destination or when they reached the Platte Valley in Sarpy County they stayed because they liked what they saw--water, timber, game and a chance to obtain virgin land. In Ireland land had been at a premium and most of them were tenants but here in Nebraska they had the opportunity to accumulate land that was their own. What they stood on would belong to them and they would not have to answer to any landlord.

Two children were born in Nebraska: Thomas W. in July of 1860 and Ellen A. in January of 1866. On September 10, 1867 Patrick Langdon took the oath and became a citizen of the United States in Nebraska and on March 1, 1867 Nebraska was admitted to the Union. Catherine Langdon had for some years to buy a shawl when one day her husband mentioned that there vas a good 40 acres of farmland for sale but that he was short the purchase price. Catherine immediately took her savings and gave it to her husband so he could buy the 40 acres. By 1867, PatriCk and had acquired 520 acres of farmland.

In 1873 Patrick attended a funeral in the rain and caught pneumonia. He died on May 21st at the age of 62 and was buried in the Thomas Calvary Cemetery, Forest City, Sarpy County, Nebraska. His headstone shows his life span: 62 years, 10 months and 5 days.